Police, BJP activists clash amid protests against WBSSC 'scam'

Kolkata, April 26 (IANS) Clashes broke out between police and BJP activists, on Tuesday afternoon, after the latter tried to approach West Bengal Education Department headquarters at Bikash Bhavan in Salt Lake to protest against the alleged irregularities in West Bengal State Service Commission recruitments.The police used water cannons in a number of phases to stop approaching BJP activists led by BJP youth wing BJP Yuva Morcha national President Tejasvi Surya, and West Bengal unit President, Sukanta Majumdar.However, the police, which was already ready with a three-layered barricade in front of Bikah Bhavan, was ready much before the protesters reached. However, after the BJP supporters broke through the first layer of the barricades, police used water cannons to disperse the mob.Speaking to the media persons, Surya accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of ruining the education system in the state. "And now we are organising a protest demonstration in a democratic manner, we are being stopped by police," he added.After being stopped by police, Majumdar, along with his associates organized a sit-in demonstration in front of Bikash Bhavan. "There had been massive irregularities in recruitment in WBSSC, where genuine and eligible candidates were denied jobs and instead confidants of the state's ruling party were offered berths. So naturally as the state's principal opposition party we will protest. But the police throttled our democratic movement by using police in an undemocratic manner," he claimed.State Education Minister, Bratya Basu, however, said that BJP has no right to speak about alleged WBSSC irregularities, when Madhya Pradesh, under the BJP's rule, witnessed the Vyapam entrance examination scam.The CBI is probing the scam, which reportedly took place when current state Commerce and Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee was Education Minister.
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